The old snake is punished – the frogs will now ride on him. The frogs jump for joy – but they had better watch out! This unusual bilingual retelling of a Panchatantra favourite swings sympathy in favour of the snake. Stunning pictures are based on wooden folk toys from Channapatna in Karnataka, a craft style that came centuries ago from Persia.

The old snake is punished – the frogs will now ride on him. The frogs jump for joy – but they had better watch out! This unusual bilingual retelling of a Panchatantra favourite swings sympathy in favour of the snake. Stunning pictures are based on wooden folk toys from Channapatna in Karnataka, a craft style that came centuries ago from Persia.

The old snake is punished – the frogs will now ride on him. The frogs jump for joy – but they had better watch out! This unusual bilingual retelling of a Panchatantra favourite swings sympathy in favour of the snake. Stunning pictures are based on wooden folk toys from Channapatna in Karnataka, a craft style that came centuries ago from Persia.

The old snake is punished – the frogs will now ride on him. The frogs jump for joy – but they had better watch out! This unusual bilingual retelling of a Panchatantra favourite swings sympathy in favour of the snake. Stunning pictures are based on wooden folk toys from Channapatna in Karnataka, a craft style that came centuries ago from Persia.

When he takes his sheep and goats to the mountains, Gulla is always careful – of bears and leopards, the terrible Banbudhiya, and the men with guns. But one day, rushing to save a little hangul from wild dogs, he goes deep into the forest. This story from Kashmir, where the hangul is a protected animal, carries many shades of the region – the quiet life of the villagers, their close link with nature, and the underlying disquiet they learn to live with. This rugged, rocky and less familiar part of the beautiful state is evoked by the illustrations with a soft charm.

A magically beautiful story about Malar and her grandfather. A laptime, bedtime, anytime story for you to share. Enjoy! A beginnerís book for children learning to read.

Kunzang is a strange child of nature, with hair as wild and red as the rhododendrons she lives among. People say that one look from her crimson eyes can make wishes come true. She rides untroubled on her graceful kiang through Sikkim's Yumthang valley. But then, along comes the powerful king, Bhu-pen, who sees the kiang and wants it... A lyrical story with vibrant pictures that capture the unrestrained beauty of nature in the wild.

A magically beautiful story about Malar and her grandfather. A laptime, bedtime, anytime story for you to share. Enjoy! A beginnerís book for children learning to read.

The book tells the story of Lalu and his red kite in wondrous colours. The kite is Lalu’s love and he is ready to go to any length to keep the kite with him.

Boodabim floats in the sky, he swims in the ocean and he simply glows in stripes! Who is he? A cloud? A fish? A tiger? Boodabim can be anything he wants to be! Minimal text and rollicking illustrations make this a most endearing book for little ones.

After a school trip to the zoo, Amma is surprised that Meera has seen no animals – not a monkey, a lion, or even a giraffe... But why did Meera see no animals there? Her lively mother forgets to ask! Zestful pictures capture the hilarious inversion of role play.

Little Tsomo eats a big, steaming hot momo. And then? A mouthwatering story in which the flavour-filled savoury comes appetisingly alive! Watercolour pencil illustrations softened with subtle brushstrokes conjure up scenes sure to tickle the taste buds, satisfy hunger pangs and stir up a song.

Dhum Dhum Dhum… dhup dhup dhup… Dungi dances to a dhinchak beat in this foot-tapping story that will make young readers move and groove, clap and tap! Big sheep, small sheep, bored sheep, happy sheep… eye-catching visuals bring to life the dance and drama in a woolly world.

Moyna lives in a little tribal village. She cannot go to school because she has to tend goats, collect firewood, fetch water… But she is so full of questions that the postmaster calls her the ‘why-why girl'! In this inspiring and delightful story, her first picture book, acclaimed Jnanpith award-winning writer Mahasweta Devi tells us how she meets Moyna (and her mongoose) and helps her find answers to all the why-whys – in books, that Moyna herself learns to read. Some of the translations have been done by well-known writers: Malayalam by Paul Zacharia, Tamil by Ambai, and Kannada by Girish Karnad. CBSE recommended

Muthu’s constant companion is a rooster called Goondi. But her grandfather tells her not to get too attached to Goondi, since he belongs to Selvi Paati. And the village head wants to buy him for his son’s wedding feast… Muthu can’t bear the thought! So, she makes her move and Thatha makes his, in this tender story about what a dear friend is worth. Pictures add richness and depth to this layered narrative set in an Irula fishing village in Tamil Nadu. Their varying tones and textures capture the setting, the people and the moments.

There is a BIG monster that only Montu can see, that shows up whenever he’s angry or sad, and makes him even more angry, even more sad. One day, when he hurts his leg and is stuck at home, he starts to draw. He draws the window, the tree outside and… the monster! But as he keeps drawing, the monster gets smaller and smaller. What’s happening? Pictures and text gently tell this story of a boy who learns to deal with his inner demons, illustrating how art can heal.

Ilham has a problem. Her Papa has given her a crisp fifty rupee note for her birthday, and she doesn’t know where to keep it absolutely safe. A pocket would be best, but her new frock doesn’t have one. So she runs to Salma Chachi the tailor to get a pocket stitched — but that leads to another problem. A charming little nugget of a story with the flavour of old Hyderabad captured warmly in the pictures!

When a herd of elephants creates trouble in the jungle, do the little rabbits run away in fear? No! From Aztec to Chinese, there are many versions of the story about the rabbit in the moon. The illustrations for this bilingual retelling are based on the pithora folk style of central India, which derives from cave art.

Mati pesters her grandmother and father for her own plot of land. When she does get it, she works hard. And then she hears that a company wants to make a coal mine in their village – the enormous black pit that will eat up all their lands, like it has in the next village… As always, Rinchin powers her questions through irresistible storytelling. The little girl’s anxiety about losing her land to “a monster machine” cuts close to the heart as it takes head-on an issue that is ravaging tribal Chhattisgarh, where this story is set, and every other place where there is ‘development’ at a cost.

It’s the day of the local market in Malli’s village. Cotton candy, peanut balls, stick ice, rose soda – there’s so much for Malli and her friends to try! But some of them don’t have enough money. Then, Malli has an idea… Friendship and sharing are at the heart of this third book in the Malli series, with pictures that take you around a village in Tamil Nadu and into the bustle of a market filled with treats.